Why Does Chris Do That? Some Suggestions Regarding the Cause and Management of the Unusual Behavior of Children and Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: REVISED 2003 [Paperback]

Tony Attwood (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1931282501 | ISBN-13: 978-1931282505 | Publication Date: June 2003 | Edition: Revised

This updated edition of Why Does Chris Do That?, orginally published by the National Autistic Society of Great Britain (NAS), translates the results of hundreds of research studies and the author's own clinical experience into readable, practical information for parents and professionals. This remarkable little book brings a wealth of information about the unique characteristics of individuals who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the underlying causes, as well as suggestions for how to manage the behavior of children and adults with ASD.

In short, world-renowned author Tony Attwood tries to answer two of the most commonly asked questions about the behavior of individuals with ASD:

"Why do they do that?"
And, the more urgent, "How can we stop it?"

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the most useful books about autism I've ever read. -- Tania Chambers, caregiver of a young adult with Asperger Syndrome

About the Author

TONY ATTWOOD is a practicing clinical psychologist specializing in Asperger Syndrome. For the past 30 years he has met and worked with hundreds of individuals with ASD ranging widely in age, ability and background. He is the author of Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company; Revised edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931282501
• ISBN-13: 978-1931282505
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,349,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Behavioral Sciences > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great help for those married to an Aspie, October 31, 2010

By 

SavedbyGrace - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Does Chris Do That? Some Suggestions Regarding the Cause and Management of the Unusual Behavior of Children and Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: REVISED 2003 (Paperback)

This is a quick read and a really great book for those struggling to cope with the oddities of a spouse with Asperger Syndrome. Some of the things that I read were just right on and helped me to realize that this is normal for those with Asperger's. I don't know that it helps with making anything better (I've heard that 80% of Asperger marriages don't work)other than, if you understand what is going on and learn to give much grace and realize that it is not you, but the complexities of the syndrome, it will help increase the odds of marriage to an Asperger spouse succeeding.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical and insightful, but a quick read!, November 17, 2007

By 

V. Balmer "SLP and mom to child with autism" (IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Does Chris Do That? Some Suggestions Regarding the Cause and Management of the Unusual Behavior of Children and Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: REVISED 2003 (Paperback)

I found this little book practical and insightful. Tony Atwood knows his stuff and has compressed it into language that is easy to understand and can be read in a short period of time. This book is more of a booklet, and not intimidating for someone who may be novice to autism.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Which Comes First, "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" or "Why Does Chris Do That?"?, June 23, 2008

By 

edrm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Does Chris Do That? Some Suggestions Regarding the Cause and Management of the Unusual Behavior of Children and Adults with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: REVISED 2003 (Paperback)

Comparing "Why Does Chris Do That?" with "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome", I noticed both have something in common: Dr. Attwood's writing style ends by suggesting the summaries of every chapter.
Ironically, however, "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome(CGAS)" is easier to read than "Why Does Chris Do That?(WDCDT)"
First, CGAS involves lots of specifics and other related symptoms, while WDCDT seems to focus mainly on Autistic Spectrum Disorder(ASD). Certainly, I thought WDCDT was easier to deal with in order to start learning about Asperger syndrome(AS) because I assumed it has fewer pages. But in retrospect, I'm afraid WDCDT seems to lack up-to-date information to tackle with ASD and AS. To be quite honest, WDCDT didn't attract me enough to enhance my knowledge.
Second, I found out CGAS would be better than WDCDT when it came to closer analysis on AS. On top of that, CGAS involves more plain and up-to-date sentences although CGAS has more pages than WDCDT. I dealt with WDCDT earlier than CGAS, yet honestly I didn't catch what WDCDT was all about even right after I read it through. Of course, I know it wasn't the author's fault. Rather than that, maybe I wasn't smart enough to comprehend it.
In the long run, CGAS is more suitable for me than WDCDT to strengthen my knowledge and strategies to know more about AS traits because I bet any developmental impairments have a lot to do with other specific symptoms.